Project could help mitigate risks posed by plastic pollution

By Nancy Goucher, Water Institute

Researchers from the Microplastics Fingerprinting project came together on September 19, 2023 to discuss their efforts to improve our ability to identify, track, and characterize microplastics (MPs) that make their way into the environment.

At the second annual project meeting, the team discussed their latest scientific achievements including progress made towards advancing methods for detecting and tracking MP movement in watersheds, as well as quantifying MP loads (i.e., the accumulation of plastics in environments such as soils, lake sediments, and stormwater retention ponds). This is valuable information for policy makers who need to understand the sources and entry points of MPs to the environment to develop effective mitigation measures. 

“Policy makers in Canada and around the world are looking for ways to respond to the plastic pollution crisis that is adversely impacting water ecosystems, wildlife, and potentially human health”, says Philippe Van Cappellen, Principal Investigator for the project. “Our research fills key research gaps that will support evidence informed strategies for managing plastic pollution.” 

The team, led by Philippe Van Cappellen, consists of 10 faculty members and 14 Highly Qualified Personnel (HQP) including masters and PhD students, and post-doctoral fellows. It is supported by staff with expertise in lab analyses, knowledge mobilization and communication. Eight partner organizations are also collaborating on the project including representatives from civil society, federal government, tech industry, and drinking water and wastewater treatment facilities.

“Working across disciplines and with partner organizations leads us towards new insights and innovation. Collaboration is key to conducting research in a way that can produce practical results that can be used to address plastic pollution in the real world,” says Nancy Goucher, Knowledge Mobilization Specialist with the Water Institute.

At a workshop that preceded the annual meeting, the project’s HQP developed two short presentations that summarized the status of the project’s research to date. These presentations were shared the following day at the annual meeting to bring the partners up to speed on the progress made to date. These presentations have been translated into short articles that are available in this newsletter and on the project website.

Finally, we discussed potential impact pathways for the project’s research, including the Global Plastics Treaty, which is currently being negotiated. With Canada set to host the fourth negotiating session in spring 2024, we considered various strategies for engaging microplastics researchers in the process. If you are interested in collaboration opportunities, please reach out to Nancy Goucher.

“Meetings like this are a great opportunity to not only reflect on how far we have come but to consider where we are headed. As governments around the world contemplate the best ways to manage plastic pollution, it will be important for projects like ours to offer scientific support,” says Philippe Van Cappellen. 

This work is funded by ECCC and NSERC under the Canada Plastics Science Agenda.